Mysticizing Philosophy

Author (Your Name)

Megan Celeste Burd, Colby College

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Honors Thesis (Colby Access Only)

Department

Colby College. Philosophy Dept.

Advisor(s)

(unknown)

Abstract

Om actions will radiate a change of perspective if we have leamed anything. I can say that my perspective on many issues has changed many times in my course of writing this thesis. Could] catalogue what I leamed? Perhaps. Would that process or end result at all be relevant in my life? Probably not. I cannot speak for you here, and perhaps at this point you cannot speak for your future self either (and perhaps I should not attempt to speak for mine). Life is all about change and witnessing to that change as evidence that something, be it physical matter or ephemeral ideas, exists to be changed. And that for our life in this world, it is irrelevant as to whether that something exists apart from that change or not. Notice that throughout I have not once raised the question of whether what the mystics see has any reality apart from their seeing it or not. It does not matter. Ultimately, it does not matter if we are predestined or have freewill, because at one level we are not in control of our circumstances yet on another we can always choose how we respond to them, even ifat times it may only be on the levels of accept or fight. Mysticizing philosophy is just another fonn of the constant cry: when you discuss, discuss real problems. Accept and rejoice that we cannot know everything. Live the paradox that we discmss important matters, yet our discussion likely does not impact them in any way. See both sides ofevery issue (and how people get trapped in the illusory dichotomy), step out of the conflict, then simultaneously live or discuss both. Transcend what you understand to love what you do not understand. Learn that many an answer is to realize that the question is not important, and maybe even the question is the answer.

Comments

Full-text download restricted to Colby College campus only.

Keywords

philosophy, dichotomy, mystical experience, spectrum of consciousness

Recommended Citation

Copyright

Colby College theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed or downloaded from this site for the purposes of research and scholarship. Reproduction or distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the author.